Singapore IT industry eclipses UK for competitiveness

Singapore’s IT industry has moved beyond that of the UK, making it even more of an attractive option for skilled workers seeking overseas jobs.

A recent report from the Economic Intelligence Unit- Investment for the future: Benchmarking IT Industry Competitiveness 2011, rates the IT industries of 66 different countries, with six main factors examined- business environment, IT infrastructure, human capital, legal framework, government's support and research and development landscape.

The US still leads the way, spearheaded by some of the biggest names in world business- Google Facebook, Amazon and Apple. While the UK did actually move up a spot in to fifth place, it is Singapore that has made the headlines by leaping six places into third place, behind just America and Finland.

Singapore is a nation on the up, it’s developing rapidly and becoming one of the main locations for international business, and in turn it’s attracting professional expats in their droves. Speaking to The Telegraph, expat Tom Anderson cited a greater focus on IT form an early age as one of the reasons Singapore has pushed its industry ahead so well: “The Singapore education is much more maths, science and technology focused than it is in the UK. Also, they tend to have lower operating costs, so it's unsurprising that they can better develop their IT industry.”

If you are an IT professional interested in finding abroad, first consult our City Guide for an insight into expat life in Singapore.